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Pepperell, Mass. Man Saved With New Machine

The 67-year-old man, who was at a residence on Hollis Street, went into cardiac arrest around 9:30 a.m.

By Alexandra Prim and Perry Russom •Published July 8, 2017•Updated on July 9, 2017 at 12:17 am

First responders in Pepperell, Massachusetts saved the life of a man having a heart attack on Saturday morning, according to local authorities.

The 67-year-old man, who was at a residence on Hollis Street, went into cardiac arrest around 9:30 a.m. when a call was placed to 911. The man's adult son was performing chest compressions when responders arrived.

Authorities attributed part of the success in saving the patient's life to a new machine that the Pepperell Fire Department acquired only three weeks ago: the LUCAS 3.

The LUCAS 3, which was purchased through a Nashoba Valley Health Fund grant from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts and the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, works as a kind of automated chest compressor, taking over a crucial first responder job and maintaining a steady, firm rhythm to better help patients.

"[It was] a little nerve-wracking because I didn't want to mess up," said Amanda Woods, the first person to use the LUCAS 3.

"I was kind of shocked when he started talking," said Woods of the patient. "It was a very exciting feeling for sure."

Pepperell EMT Melissa Schrader also had good things to say about LUCAS.

“It performed above and beyond our expectations. The patient showed promising signs of recovery prior to leaving his home and was talking to the ambulance crew prior to arriving at the hospital.”

The man, whose name has not been released, is currently in the hospital in stable condition. He's expected to make a full recovery.